‘THERE WAS A COMPLAINT ABOUT
NOISE POLLUTION AN HOUR
BEFORE WE EVEN OPENED'
Mungo’s Hi-ti
The heavenl social
As the WOODSIDE SOCIAL comes under threat from neighbours, Johnny Regan argues that Glasgow’s Clubland would suffer if we didn’t fight for its survival.
c’rc tlisappoinlcd Io l'cpot't that lltc \Vootlsidc
Social sccnis to hc coming undct' lhrcat l'rom
a small numhcr of local rcsidcnls. ll sccms that thc \Vcsl Iind is gradually. .stcadily losing its charm. \'cntic hy \cnuc. hccausc ol' propcrty dcyclopcrs trying to capitalisc on thc inl'lux ol" ncw moncy in Kclyinsidc.
.\lany discrctc spots ol' cultural importancc arc hcing gougcd away to makc room for ncw rcsidcnts. and whilc pcoplc nccd a placc to liy c. tltcy also nccd a placc to rcimaginc things too. That‘s why wc‘rc turning lltc spotlight onto thc plight ol' thc \Vootlsidc Social. a club \cnuc that has l‘acilitatcd such a hilly idcal l'or nigh on tcn ycars now. Many lcl‘t-ollccntrc cluh nights opcralc thcrc hccatIsc it is a uniquc .spacc that is rclatiycly incxpcnsiyc to hirc. .\'ow thcrc’s incrcasing prcssui'c l'rom a small. indignant group ol~ local rcsidcnts who want thc placc closcd down in an attcmpt to hcnclil lhcir propcrty priccs. Our club pagcs would hc a wholc lot lcss yihi‘ant without lhc Woody's partics tXalional l’op l.caguc. .\ltingo's lli-l‘i. (‘alcdonia Soul. Supci‘l'ly and thc \Vinchcstcr (‘IuhL so wc‘rc hacking thc campaign to saw this classic cluh \cnuc.
'l‘hc longcst running club at thc \Vootlsidc is thc duh and rcggac party Mungo's lli-l'i. which has put on partics thcrc for thc past liyc ycars. Doug l'rom lhc collcctiyc commcnts on thc complaint that thc \Voodsidc harms housc priccs in thc arca: 'Il‘s hcing lhrcatcncd with closurc hccausc a guy who's moycd in down thc road is conccrncd about the yaluc of his propcrty. I don‘t think his is a \alid complaint. hccausc thc \Voodsidc was thch whcn hc moycd in. It you
34 THE LIST fir ‘ ' 5.7.1:
moyc iit ncxl lo a club. you inch in ncxt to a cluhf
l'cw pcoplc know and loyc thc Woodsidc likc Duncan Birrcll ol' psychcdclic caharct cluh Supcrl‘ly. and hc makcs thc point that thc locals should worry moi'c ahout thc prolil‘cration ol' l‘acclcss .supcr puhs than about a small indcpcndcnt ycnuc: ‘l'yc liycd in thc \Vcst Iind l‘or Bl) ycars. and l hay c moi'c sympathy l‘or rcsidcnls who sullcr lhc noisc lcycls and anti—social hchayiour caused by thc ncwly arriycd "supcr pubs" than thosc liying ncar thc Woodsidc.' Ilc gocs on to addrcss thc allcgations ol‘ nuisancc hchay iour that hay c hccn aimcd at the Woodsidc's clicnlclc: ‘()nc allcgalion. about vandalism ol cars by Woodsidc rcy'cllcrs. was pl‘tH'CLI lo hc groundlcss. Then it was claimcd that pcoplc l'rom thcrc wcrc dropping carry out l'ood wrappcrs. cycn though the Woodsidc docsn't scll such producc. Now wc'yc rcccntly hccn \‘lsllCtl by thc policc to inycstigatc a complaint rcgarding noisc pollution an hour hcl'orc wc cycn opcncd.‘
Thc inct'cascd policc prescncc around Byrcs Road in rcccnl ycars tcstiliCs to thc tact that it isn't thc smallcr indcpcndcnt clubs that arc causing thc trouhlc llhcrc arcn't rcally any of thosc around this main thoroughlarcl. Rather it's the hoinogcniscd chain bars that foster that hostilc too-drunk atmosphcrc. .\'o onc has cycr hccn arrcstcd at any of thc \Voodsidc‘s clubs. and it docsn't hayc a drug problem. Ncy'cr‘tltclcss. thc \cnuc has had its 2am liccncc rcyokcd hctwccn Sunday and \\'cdncsday. and it looks likc wc'll scc l‘urthcr agitation about its closurc in thc ncxt six months.
The Woodside Social, Glasgow.
Sugarbeat Ripped ut‘ beats and dex skills collide as Sugarbeat returns. Tim 8. .le/ lUtah Saints) are still firmly iii control With a little help from guests DJ Touche and DJ Woody. Cabaret VO/lr’ll/tl Edinburgh, Fri 4 Mar:
Manhattan Rooms lliink soullul house. R88 and club classes across three rooms at this new. glamorous club night. The lovely Lisa Littlewood hosts. along with Kris Keegan, Scott Grainger and Paul Rea. Corinthian, Glasgow. Week/v Saturdays.
Eskrima Spezialmaterial is the envelope-pushing label donating Dds on this date at the "school. HP Stonii, Traiect (live). Clo and Guy Veale and Konx Om-Pax all play tonight. G/asgow School of Art, G/asgow. Sat 5 March.
Concept Theory Ben Long and Jamie Bissmire are the Space DJz. and they are playing their records at this fine techno and electro house night at this great venue. Arches, Glasgow, Friday 7 7 March.
STET Kings of dub. grime. glitch house and electro disco the leftfield players STET are iOined by dirty electronic punk funkers Spektrum for a live show. The Bongo Club, Edinburgh, Fri 7 7 Mar.
The Trinity of Techno present . . . Derrick May The Innovator himself is in town. The man is a legend — be there. The Venue, Edinburgh, Fri 7 7 Mar.
Felix da Housecat We love it when the big names in Scottish clubbing come together and they usually only do it in exceptional Circumstances. Slam and (blows collaborate on this guest night with this ultra-popular, brilliant guest. Arches, Glasgow, Sat 72 March.
Xplicit A killer night as Adam F (pictured) drops by for a UK exclusive with his trademark hardcore drum & bass-meets-hip hop sounds. Set to tear the roof off. The Honeycomb, Edinburgh, Sat 72 Mar.